Gain insights into automating network reconnaissance, orchestrating repetitive changes, and transforming network configuration management. Discover CI/CD pipeline migration for full network automation.

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​​Network automation begins with automating network reconnaissance. This is accomplished by gathering important information from network devices while building a library of dynamic on-demand utilities and generating living documentation. Starting small, the course exhibits the simplicity and elegance of network automation.

Next, you will learn how to automate larger changes that require a high number of repetitive steps. These changes will be executed serially in a specific orchestrated order, making them perfect for an automated solution. After gaining comfort with the new tools, you can fully transform network configuration management to an automated, intent-based, self-documenting system.

The final step is learning how to migrate to a continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline, thereby fully automating the network.

Automate Your Network

# `templates`

The `templates` folder is part of the Ansible framework and is where
Jinja2 dynamic template files are kept. Like all the other folders,
`templates` should be structured to scale and organized logically. 

In the example, there are three top-level folders: `banner`, `configurations`, and
`documentation`. These folders will have subfolders by platform, such as
`ios` or `nxos`. 

The `banner` folder is a simple text file that contains the
standard banner displayed on all devices when a user logs into the CLI.

The `configurations` folder contains all the dynamic templates used to
generate device configurations. 

The `documentation` folder contains the
templates used to generate the Markdown automated documentation. These
templates have a matching YAML file in the tasks folder that includes
the module used to compile the commands:

```bash
templates
|
 ---- banner
      |
       ---- standard_banner.cfg
 ---- configurations
      |
       ---- ios
            |
             ---- 01_ios_global.j2
             …
             ---- 35_ios_host_interfaces_Custom.j2
       ---- nxos
            |
             ---- 01_nxos_global.j2
             …
             ---- 18_nxos_host_interface.j2

 ---- documentation
      |
       ---- ios
            |
             ---- 3k_documentation.j2
             ---- 4k_documentation.j2
             ---- 6k_documentation.j2
       ---- nxos

```

# The `hosts` file 
The Ansible `hosts` file needs to be stored in the root of the repository.

A sample `hosts` file can look like this:
```txt
[CAMPUS:children]
CAMPUS-CORE
CAMPUS-DIST
CAMPUS-ACCESS

[CAMPUS-CORE]
CORE

[CAMPUS-DIST:children]
CAMPUS-DIST

[CAMPUS-DIST]
DIST01
DIST02
```



Let's take a look at the templates folder and the Ansible hosts file. 

Templates and Hosts file

Let's take a look at the templates folder and the Ansible hosts file.

Introduction

What Is Network Automation?

Why Automate the Network?

How to Automate the Network

Where to Start with Network Automation

Repository Structure

Network Reconnaissance

Tactical Playbooks

Data Models and Dynamic Templates

Dynamic Intent-Based Documentation

Configuration Management

Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery

Conclusion

Templates and Hosts file

`templates`